The present invention relates to an air outlet device for feeding air to a vehicle interior of a motor vehicle in a controlled manner, i.e. an air discharge device for ventilating the vehicle interior of the motor vehicle with air which may be air conditioned.
A known air outlet device in a motor vehicle is arranged, for example, in the region of a dashboard of a motor vehicle interior. The known air outlet device has means which make it possible to adjust a direction of the air flowing out of an air outlet opening of the air outlet device. A known air outlet opening has, for example, a rectangular cross section, wherein a plurality of fins are arranged parallel to one another and at the same time in a pivotable manner adjacent to or in the air outlet opening. Pivoting of said fins permit, for example, the exiting air to be controlled in a direction downward or in a direction upward. Further fins are arranged parallel to one another and at the same time in a pivotable manner in an air flow duct of the air outlet device behind the air outlet opening, said fins being able to change a direction of the exiting air to the left or to the right.
The air flow can be better controlled here the longer the fins in the air flow direction are or the closer the fins are arranged with respect to one another. A close arrangement of the fins has the property that, although a direction of the discharging air can be sufficiently controlled, an exiting quantity of air becomes smaller as the fins pivot increasingly out of a central position.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an air outlet device for feeding air to a vehicle interior in a controlled manner, said air outlet device permitting a large quantity of air in all discharge directions of the air.
This object is achieved by an air outlet device for feeding air to a vehicle interior in a controlled manner in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
In particular, an air outlet device according to the invention for feeding air to a vehicle interior, i.e. a passenger compartment, of a motor vehicle in a controlled manner has an air flow duct and an air outlet opening element which has an air outlet opening. Air which flows out of the air flow duct can in particular flow through the air outlet opening into the vehicle interior in a directed manner. The air flow duct is connected to the air outlet opening element and is adapted to conduct air from an interior ventilation device via the air outlet opening into the vehicle interior. The air outlet opening element can be mounted in particular in a positionally fixed manner in the vehicle interior. The air flow duct has a first duct portion and a second duct portion, which is arranged between the first duct portion and the air outlet opening element. In other words, the first duct portion, the second duct portion and the air outlet opening element are arranged one behind another in the air flow direction. The first duct portion is designed so as to be displaceable, i.e. shiftable in a translatory manner, in a direction transversely with respect to its longitudinal axis. In particular, the first duct portion is designed in order to control a direction of the air flowing out of the air outlet opening in accordance with the displacement of said duct portion, i.e. to adjust a direction of the discharging air.
The second duct portion is preferably arranged adjacent to the first duct portion, wherein the air outlet opening element is arranged adjacent to the second duct portion.
The air outlet opening element can be arranged or can be mounted, for example, on a dashboard, a vehicle door or a central console. The interior ventilation device can be, for example, an air conditioning device which produces fresh air and/or air-conditioned air and conveys same to the vehicle interior.
By means of a displacement of the first duct portion, which is arranged spaced apart from the air outlet opening, a direction of the air flowing from the first duct portion and to the air outlet opening can be changed in a simple manner. By this means, the direction of the air flowing out of the air outlet opening is also correspondingly changed. Depending on the distance between the first duct portion and the air outlet opening, i.e. depending on the length of the second duct portion, the direction of the air is changed in accordance with a displacement of the first duct portion.
According to a preferred development, the second duct portion connects the first duct portion to the air outlet opening element. The second duct portion here has wall portions which are pivotable in accordance with the displacement of the first duct portion in order to control a direction of the air flowing out of the air outlet opening in accordance with a position of the wall portions.
The wall portions take on the function here of controllable air conducting elements, i.e. fins.
According to a further preferred development, the first duct portion has a first wall and a second wall which are formed opposite each other. Opposite each other means in particular parallel to each other. The first wall and the second wall, as part of the first duct portion, are displaceable with the duct portion. The first wall and the second wall are in particular rigid, fixed portions of the first duct portion which are not movable relative to each other. Furthermore, the first wall and the second wall are preferably formed transversely, i.e. substantially perpendicularly, with respect to a direction of displacement of the first duct portion.
Furthermore, the first duct portion can be delimited by a third wall and a fourth wall which are arranged opposite each other, i.e. substantially parallel to each other, and in particular extend parallel to a direction of displacement of the first duct portion. The third wall and fourth wall can be formed integrally with the first duct portion, i.e. so as to be movable together with the first duct portion. Alternatively, the third wall and fourth wall can be formed in a fixed manner independently of the first duct portion, wherein the first duct portion is displaceable together with the first wall and the second wall between the third and fourth wall in the direction of displacement.
According to a preferred development, at least one fin-like movable air conducting element is arranged in the first duct portion, said air conducting element being displaceable together with the first duct portion and being adapted to control a direction of the air flowing into the first duct portion and a direction of the air flowing air outlet opening in accordance with a position of the air conducting element.
By this means, the discharging air can not only be changed in its direction in the direction of the direction of displacement of the first duct portion, but also in a further direction which is controlled by the air conducting element in the first duct portion.
Further fin-like, movable air elements can also be arranged in the first duct portion, wherein the air elements are preferably designed so as to be movable or activatable in parallel and jointly, i.e. substantially synchronously.
According to a development, the air conducting element is rotatable about an axis. The axis preferably runs substantially parallel to the direction of displacement of the first duct portion.
The air can therefore be controlled in a direction transversely or perpendicularly with respect to the direction of displacement of the first duct portion. Together with a displacement of the first duct portion, air flowing out of the air outlet opening can therefore be controlled in all directions.
According to a preferred development, the first duct portion can have at least one intermediate wall which divides the first duct portion into at least two air passages. The intermediate wall, like the first wall and the second wall, is therefore formed integrally with the first duct portion and is designed so as to be displaceable together with the first duct portion.
The division of the first duct portion into two air passages makes it possible to better align the flowing air. The intermediate wall serves here in addition to the first wall and the second wall as an air conducting element.
When the first duct portion has an intermediate wall, at least one fin-like, movable air conducting element or a plurality of air conducting elements can be arranged in each of the two air passages, and therefore a flow direction of the air can be correspondingly adapted in each of the two air passages.
According to a further preferred development, the second duct portion has at least one intermediate wall which divides the second duct portion into at least two air passages.
The intermediate wall of the second duct portion is preferably pivotable in accordance with a displacement of the first duct portion. Furthermore, the intermediate wall of the second duct portion is preferably designed as a manual actuating element for controlling the displacement of the first duct portion. For this purpose, the intermediate wall can be operatively connected to the first duct element. For the manual actuation, the intermediate wall can have an optionally protruding gripping portion which a vehicle occupant can grip and via which the vehicle occupant can pivot the intermediate wall—to control the first duct portion—and can displace them—to control the air conducting element in the first duct portion.
The first duct portion and the second duct portion can have an intermediate wall; however, it is also possible for only one of the two duct portions to have an intermediate wall. The first duct portion and the second duct portion can also have a plurality of intermediate walls.
The first duct portion preferably has a substantially rectangular flow cross section, i.e. an effective inner cross section. Similarly, the second duct portion and/or the air outlet opening can have a substantially rectangular flow cross section.
The present invention furthermore relates to a motor vehicle with an air outlet device according to the invention for feeding air to a vehicle interior in a controlled manner. The air outlet opening here preferably has a rectangular cross section, wherein the air outlet opening is arranged transversely and not upright in the vehicle interior.
The above developments of the invention may be combined with one another as desired to the extent possible and expedient.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.